Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe

This Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe (aka spaghetti sauce) combines 6 different types of tomatoes, garlic, red wine (optional) and other amazing flavors to create a rich, deep and flavorful sauce that will become a family favorite.

Homemade Marinara with Fresh Tomatoes (straight from the garden)

You guys. This recipe is going to become your FA-avorite. I know it already. There really is something about making something from scratch, especially when you have grown the tomatoes, basil and oregano yourself. Yes, I could very easily run to the store and pick an “okay” jar of tomato sauce, but a) it simply doesn’t taste as good and b) knowing the time, effort and love that goes into a homemade jar just makes it tastes a gabazillion times better. Once you make this – you won’t be able to go back to store-bought.

Simple Marinara Sauce

For about the past 3-4 years, my husband and I have had a garden and we always grow tons of tomatoes, specifically so we can make this recipe, which has evolved and gotten better and better and better over time. Brace yourselves, because I am about to share our secret recipe with you guys! It is all in the details – so pay attention! Man, I must like you guys……

How to Make Homemade Marinara Sauce:

Here is the mainstay of this whole thing …. beautiful tomatoes. Some heirloom, some beefsteak, some yellow, some orange….. you get the idea. You need to diversify your tomatoes.

Make sure they are clean, then remove the core and cut into large chunks. They are going to be roasting for 5 hours and you don’t want them to cook down too fast. Throw them into a very large stainless steel roasting pan.

Do you need to blanche tomatoes before making spaghetti sauce?

Wait …… are you wondering where the instructions are to blanch and remove the skins?? Well, you are going to be waiting on that part for a while, because it isn’t happening. Yup – not here. Just one of the beautiful things about this recipe. In the end, the roasted tomatoes are put in a blender – yes, some pieces of skin will remain, but I honestly think they add more flavor and authenticity to the sauce. No blanching for me.

Homemade marinara sauce tutorial

Boom. Next, chop up your onions and get all of your garlic cloves ready – add those to the pan.

Put in the oven at 425 and let roast for about 5 hours – check periodically (about once an hour and then every half hour for the last hour) to stir.

Yummmmmmy.

The next part is pretty easy – let this cool for a good hour or two and then take out your blender or food processor. Put a couple spoonfuls into the blender (cover the top with a thick towel, just in case) and pulse about 3-4 times. Voila – you have yourself some amazingly flavorful, beautiful, so-good-I-am-going-to-mop-it-up-with-my-garlic-bread spaghetti sauce. Serve with pasta or on top of your Stuffed Zucchini! [Update: you can also opt to NOT blend this and serve or can it as Chunky Roasted Tomato Sauce!!]

How to can spaghetti sauce:

Check out this Canning 101 post to learn all the ins and outs of canning your own sauce!

Quick note on the recipe – I listed out exactly what I used in making this sauce (and it really tastes amazing), but don’t stress out if you can find everything except 3 orange tomatoes… Seriously. Don’t panic. Just buy some more of a different kind of tomato. And if you can’t find “spicy oregano” … just buy regular fresh oregano. As long as you put the listed amount of oregano and the right amount of tomatoes, your sauce is going to taste just fine – promise! Now go make some sauce!

Hello Friends! I'm Erin - photographer, recipe developer and creative content creator behind The Wooden Skillet! I love sharing healthy, inspiring meals, real food, healthy living and so much more. You will find lots of dairy-free, Whole30, paleo and plant-based recipes, but also the occasional cocktail and indulgence because .... you gotta have balance! To learn more about me Click Here